Caseless Ammunition - History

History

Caseless ammunition, in the broad sense, is not a new concept. A number of early paper cartridge designs used a combustible "case", which left no significant residue in the action after firing; one of the earliest military breech-loading rifles, the Dreyse needle gun, used such a cartridge. It contained the powder, primer, and saboted bullet in a paper cartridge. This design was an evolution of earlier paper cartridges for externally primed muzzle loading firearms, and predated the wide adoption of the metallic cartridge case.

The first use of caseless ammunition for use in a repeating firearm was the Rocket Ball projectile patented by Walter Hunt in 1848. A charge of black powder was placed inside a hollow at the back of a specially shaped Minié ball. These rounds were used by Hunt in a prototype repeating lever action rifle. The later Volcanic cartridge by Smith & Wesson added a primer to the Rocket Ball, and improved on the lever action design. Similar ammunition was used by the Volcanic Repeating Arms company for the Volcanic rifle.

During World War II, Germany began an intensive program to research and develop a practical caseless ammunition for military use, which was driven by the rising scarcity of metals, especially copper used to make cartridge cases. The Germans had some success, but not sufficient to produce a caseless cartridge system during the war.